never heard of it, but we're open to suggestions for stuff like that. also, i should say that this project won't be a real game or anything like that, that's way too big and takes a long time to make, the current idea is a rendered video of some sort, but of course other suggestions are open. if we did want to do something large, then your idea would be pretty good though.

I'v been playing with the idea to since yesterday.
I actually think it is posible to make a strategy/managing game fairly fast by making a first minimal version and then continuing development while the game is online.

I think this kind of strategy/management game should be an online game, with multible players playing in the same world. This would create an active community swapping all kinds of ideas and resources.

I'v been taking the idea a little further by including the x-cup prize in to the game plan. Also a further development would be to continue in to the age of space turism with the development and management of space hotels and hosting of space sports events (spacebaseball, etc ).

I'm currently making an updateble webbased idea list where this idea truly deserves serious considerations.

I also have several ideas to different information gateways under way.

Keep the ideas comming.
Sharing inspiration is always a good way to come up with the perfect idea.

i remember quite a while back when i used to use it, that serveral people were kicked off the irc channel for what they had said about the admin whilst he was asleep (so it must have been logging ?! ).

i think if a 3d engine is available then all that is needed is a basic modelling program for the 3d engine (to create models, or types (spachshipone) ect) and perhaps a gaming engine that can be scripted so that the developers can create the game. I know that these elements are free at many various sites on the net.

however i agree a game would take ages, but not as long if these resources were available (the ones listed above )

I think it would be great to have something ready before someone wins the xprize and the media storm starts. It seems that will happen sooner than later.

I dont have much exp. in making 3d games. But my guess is that 2d is a faster approach. An upgrade later from 2d to 3d could be a posible option as an alternative.
Does anyone have a say on that ?

Anyway...
My point is that we have a choice of starting with a game or starting with something simpler and faster to make.
If we start with something simpler we will have more time to develop the plots and structure of a multiplayer game. And figure out how much graphics we need.
Also. If we have something small and usefull we might get some users to test the game in the beginning.

I heard some of you talking about a rendered movie video of some sort.
Could anyone explain further ?

A lot of good ideas here. I'll thow in my couple of cents. My first thought was along the lines of the Tycoon and/or SimCity genre. The gathering of resources to build an spacefaring empire where you begin with a Goddard rocket, build to sub-orbital, then orbital, trans-lunar, and then beyond. The choices you make early-on (wings or no-wings, etc...) could greatly shape the make-up of your interplanetary spacefaring empire later on.

The other idea I had would be something called "SpaceRace" in which you compete against yourself, a computer opponent, or even online with others. Each player is given a certain amount to spend on stuff like:

Research,
Paperwork,
Flight-testing,
Materials Science,
Etc...

The trick is in balancing expenditures versus risk. The more you spend upfront, the lower the chance of a malfunction during a test-flight. The technology choices you make may offer the biggest leaps forward, but also the biggest risks. The sooner you test-fly, the sooner you attract additional capital, but if you jump too fast into test-flight, you have a greater chance of crashing and losing everything you sent money on (unless you spent some of your money on a back-up ship). Now a successful test-flight can pay research dividends by reducing risk faster (or more cheaply) than ground-based research...but when do you make the leap? You could throw a bunch of random factors in as well...such as weather, or even pilot skill.

that's a good idea, but with an x-prize strategy game, how would you go about designing your vehicle? would there just be a generic flight model that you could adjust the variables for and would behave exactly the same all the time in normal flight conditions, or would you actually design a unique vehicle, because in the former case that's not all that interesting, and in the latter you'd have to have some pretty nasty physics stuff in there to be realistic. not that i'm saying it's not a good idea, just trying to play the critic here.

it's an excellent idea
But this soft have to be multiplatform. It is VERY important ...
i could help for any mac osX version as long as it is coded in C/C++ or java, using multiplatforme Lib preferentially .
just ask me.

it's an excellent ideaBut this soft have to be multiplatform. It is VERY important ...i could help for any mac osX version as long as it is coded in C/C++ or java, using multiplatforme Lib preferentially .just ask me.

that's a good idea, but with an x-prize strategy game, how would you go about designing your vehicle? would there just be a generic flight model that you could adjust the variables for and would behave exactly the same all the time in normal flight conditions, or would you actually design a unique vehicle, because in the former case that's not all that interesting, and in the latter you'd have to have some pretty nasty physics stuff in there to be realistic. not that i'm saying it's not a good idea, just trying to play the critic here.

Hmmm...well it's to be a game "about" rocket science, not a game "of" rocket science. The game is more about managing an X-prize type effort, as opposed to the actual physics. Hobbyspace has a series about an RLV start-up company that goes into a lot of management details and issues.

Without getting specific you can break a vehicle down into the Launch System, Flight Control System, Landing System, Propulsion, etc.... Each of those can be broken down further (and futher as the game expands). This could result in some interesting(exciting?) flight-test runs. Take the recent SS1 test...you've spent a lot of money on the Flight Control Systems, ran 20 ground tests of your propulsion system, but your in a hurry, so you only computer-simulated your landing system. Your competitor has already launched twice and you know he's going to launch in 4 weeks, so you bite your nails, and commit to a launch. Everything looks good, you get good data on your Launch, Flight, and Propulsion Systems--their reliability [and maybe performance?] will be improved for the next flight...BUT your landing system malfunctions (it had a 53% chance of malfunction for this flight), you crash on landing. Total vehicle loss? Or can it be repaired? The computer could randomly calculate a damage amount, then you have to look at your funding and see if and when you can rebuild and refly.

All the time the clock is ticking, your burning-up your venture capital, fate can play a deadly hand...each flight improves your systems leaps and bounds, but ground testing is so much less risky.